Automobile



R. S. CLAPP AUTOMOBILE July 19, 1932.

Filed June 5, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet Iza/vena? ez JS UZ R. S. CLA PP AUTOMOBILE July 19, 1932.

Filed June 5, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 y Invewwf: Bilge? S. Clapp,

Patented July 19, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ROGER S. CLAPIP, -OF WEBSTER, 'MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO WATER-HOUSE COM- IPANY, OF WEBSTER, MASSACHUSETTS, ,A CORPORATION OF MASSACHUSETTS d AUTOMOBILE the accompanying drawings of a preferred embodiment of my invention.

In the drawings y (Fig. 1, in side view, shows an automobile illustrating one embodiment of my invention' i y Fig. 2, a vertical longitudinal section through the rear portion of the vehicle body; and j i Fig. 3, a vertical transverse section taken on the dotted line 8 3, Fig. 2, looking to the left or front. Y i p Y p Y y Referring to the illustrative embodiment shown in the drawings, the chassis, comprising the frame members 1 mounted upon the wheels 2 and 8, and provided with asuitable engine housed within the engine bonnet 4,

at the front of which is the radiator 5, and Y at the rear,fthe cowl 6, together with the running board 7', front and rear mudguards 8 and 9, usual steering post 10, and steering wheel 11, together with other features of a customary or desired chassis, may be of usual construction and operation. y

Mounted upon the chassis in suitable manner is the body 12, which maybe of a permanently closed type or of convertible. con-- (struction, as desired. In the present instance I have shown a permanently closed body.

The body is providedwithfront and rear compartments, the ioors 13 and 1/1 of which are at substantially the same level and, as is, customary, rest upon or are close to the frame .y members l of the chassis.l

The front compartment is bounded at its front corners by the upstanding corner pillars 15, which are secured in suitable man- ,partment roof 18.

ends the forward portion of the front or drivers compartment roof 16. This roof, at its rear end, is supported by the middle pillars or posts 17, which also carry at theirupper ends the front endof the top 18 ofthe rear or passenger compartment, said4 top 18 being at the usual or normal level. Y J

The roof 16 of the'front compartmentis built ata subfnormal level and, to accommodate the driver when operating the car,the front or drivers seat 19, in the rear ofthe front compartment, is placed close to; or, as herein shown, somewhat below the Hoor Lof the front compartment.

The back 20 of the front ork drivers `seat `places the two compartments in open communication with each other in well known manner.

In the rear of the glass 22,V I have herein Vshown a vertical adjustable slatted shutter 23, which also may be raised in suitable manner to shut off the view through the light- 22 or itsopening from one compartment to the other, or lowered to permit View through from one compartment to the other.

.es i

This partition may be of f The rear compartment isequipped with a usual rear seat 24 provided with'aback 25A and arm 26.

shield 27, and vtherear compartment isfpro- Y vided with a preferably -upwardly and rear-f wardly inclined transom 28, between the front compartment roof 16 andthe rear com- As stated, the roof 16 of thefront compartment is depressed to a sub-normal level, pref-r y;

quiring the roof 18 of the rear 'compartment able manner, to rear columns 3l.

to be at a higher level than the conventional style calls for. I have found that a transom exhibiting a vertical width of 7 to 9 inches may be employed without difliculty and still retain the roof 18 of the rear compartment at not exceeding a preferredV height ofv52 inches above the chassis frame;

' To give as much vertical widthy of vision vasfpossible to the .windshield 27 and transom "28, Iv prefer that-they be made-fixed,that is to sav, non-adjustable, in order that the usual marginal frames for the glass may bedis-r pensed with and the glass set permanently in the fixed frames provided therefor. If

either of said'glasses be madeadjustable,

suitable frames would be krequired for holding and moving it, which frames must necessarily cut down the fieldL of vision therethrough. "W'hile, therefore, thewindshield ,andE transom maybe made` adjustable, ifde- 'sired, and the limitation of vision is not objectionable, I still prefer the more generous vision that goes with a fixed glass.

' vThe front and rear compartments ar-eprcvided' respectively with doors 29 and 30, the front doors being hinged at their front edges in suitable manner to the cornerv pillars 15,

substantially vertical' as shown, the middle pillar or post .17'being provi-derd with atrilo; angular frame portion 34' having a Vertical l front Vmember to v,accommodate the vertical rear edge of the front door, and with a middle glass panel 35, which. adds lightness to the structure while making possible to preserve the rearward inclination ofthe posts.

The depression of the front compartment top to the sub-normal height referredl to makes it possibleto retain the rear and Vhigher portion of the body at the conventional level, and thus not only adds to the appearance of the'car but preserves a low center of gravity.

Becauseof the low roof of the frontfcompart- Y ment-and particularly because of thetrany som 28 above that roof, a passenger occupying the rearrcompartment obtains a forward vision above and clear ofthe front compartment roof,l and thus gains a sense of exclusiveness and privacy that is neither afforded notobtainable in closed cars having a continuous roof with forward vision 'only throughnthe front or drivers compartment. And this is obtainedv while preserving the ioors of the two compartmentsat a commonA Y level,substantiallythat of thetoplines of the frame members..` 1, and .with .the yentrance and egress or foot areas that/extendv across the car from side to side provided with free, direct access to and from the doorways.

It will be observed that the doors extend from the floor levels to substantially the tops respectively of the front and rear compartments. To this end, the doors to the rear compartmentopen close to the front wall of said compartment, making entrance and egress easy to thoseV who are. likely to. be called upon vto step across from .one side of the car to the other, while the doors for the front compartment open close to the rear wall thereof, while preserving at the same time free entrance and egressto and from the floor area infront of the seat 19, thus making it naturalhand easy for the driver, or anyoneoccupyingthe drivers seat',to take his place upon that seat` without inconvenience notwithstanding the low position of the seat and its relation to the steering wheel 11.Y The foot area for the f-ront'compartment extends ywell forward into the cowl. Usual, foldingseats 36 may be provided in the rear compartment.

The doors arev provided with the usual adjustable lights 37 and-38. Y l

The range of .vision obtained by the pas senger in the rear compartment looking for` ward through the transom 28 is very much increased, both vertically and laterally, over anything possible in asedan or closed car of conventional-design where the field of vision is constantly restricted byV theoverlying roof or top of the front compartment. My invention is not restricted to the Vparticular embodiment'shown but may bevaried within the scope of the appended claims.V

1 Y if. Tho 1oiosfyifpiio'od body for aotomobiiosf, tho

same having a front compartment, the top of which isdepressed to a sub-normal level,

4and; withak windshieldbelow lits 'top a rear compartment having the same fioorlevel as the front compartment but with itsl top at a normal and higher level than the frontV compartment .top and with a transom between said twotops'; a seat in saidrear compartment located' toposition a vnormal occupant at a normal distance from the ioor thereof withV a range of vision through said transom, o. y

aseatinsaid front compartmentlocated relativelyv close to thefloorthereof to position anormal occupantat a lower levelthan an i' occupant of the rear seat with his-headbolow the topof said front compartmentfand.

withfa vrange of vision through said 'windshield; s'aidiseats being in the rear portions ofsaid compartmentsto leave'combined foot and entrance areas across the lfront portions of said compartments ;y and `side entrance doors for and of substantiallythe full heights of the respective compartments, furnishing in each instance freejside entrance and egress to and from said combined foot and entrance areas. Y

f y' 2: riiooooo'riood bodyffor 'automobiiooaho same having a front compartment, the top of which is depressed to a sub-normal level, and with a windshield below its top; a rear compartment having the same floor level as the front compartment but with its top at a normal and higher level than the front compartment top and with a transom between said two tops; a seat in said rear compartment 1ocated to position a normal occupant at a normal distance from the oor thereof with a range of vision through said transom, a seat in said front compartment located relatively close to the oor thereof to position a normal occupant at a lower level than an occupant of the rear seat with his head below the top of said front compartment and with a range of vision through said windshield; said seats being in the rear portions of said compartments to leave combined foot and entrance areas across the front portions of said compartments; and side entrance doors for and 'of substantially the full heights of the respective compartments, furnishing in each instance free side entrance and egress to and from said combined foot and entrance areas,

said wall between said compartments being provided below said transom with verticalv adjustable glass and shutter as shown and described. 3D In testimony whereof, vI have signed my name to this specification.

ROGER S. CLAPP. e 

